Gas supply unit



April 27 1965 F. c. GALLEY 3,180,357

GAS SUPPLY UNITl Filed Feb. 4, 1965 IN VEN TOR. f C @ma BY JM f. ma#

United States Patent O 3,130,357 GAS SUPPLY UNET Fred C. Galley, Detroit, Mich., assigner to American Radiator d: Standard Sanitary Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 255,864 4 Claims. (Cl. 137-613) This invention relates to a fuel gas supply unit, which for example is controlled by a pilot burner, room thermostat and pressure regulator. In certain respects the invention is an improvement on the invention disclosed and claimed in U.S. Patent 2,980,133.

One of the more important objects of the present invention is to provide a fuel gas supply unit having a cluster of control components arranged in an especially compact pattern, whereby to enable the unit to be disposed in small clearance spaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gas supply unit having a thermocouple-operated safety valve arranged so that the thermocouple wiring does notrprotrude laterally from the side surface of the unit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a regulated fuel gas Vsupply unit having a manual selector valve arranged to accomplish positive closing of the gas supply unit without reliance on gas supply pressure.

Another object is to provide a gas supply unit which operates without producing an appreciable pressure drop in the gas stream.

An additional object is to provide a gas supply unit having a manual selector Valve which is ported to provide straight-through ow from the kinlet to the main burner passageway.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fuel gas supply unit having a manual selector valve and pilot-operated safety valve arranged one within the other whereby to reduce the overall length of the two valves.

Another object is to provide a fuel gas supply unit having a solenoid-operatedV valve therein arranged so that the electric portion of the valve is isolated from the controlled gas stream, whereby to preclude possibility of electric spark ignition of the gas.v

A further object is to provide a fuel gas supply unit having a solenoid valve arranged in aprone position ,this specification wherein like'reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

.In the drawingsr Y FIGURE l isa sectional view of one embodiment of the invention taken substantially on line 1--1 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 2-2 in FIG. l;

FlG. 3 is a sectional-view taken substantially on line 3 3 in FIG. 2; and` FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially( on line 4-,4'in FIG. 2.

Beforeexplaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited'rin its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, sinceV the invention is capable of other embodiments and of. being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or Vterminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a fuel gas supply unit l@ having as its principal parts a manual selector valve 25, a pilot-operated safety SS? iatented Apr. 27, 1965 ICC valve 67, a solenoid control valve 64, and a pressure stabilizing device 65. The gas supply unit is designed to supply a main stream of gas to a main gas burner through main outlet 22 and a smaller stream of gas to a pilot burner through an auxiliary outlet 23.

The manual selector valve 25 has three rotational positions, including a rst off position wherein neither the Vmain outlet'22 nor the auxiliary outlet 23 are supplied with gas, a second pilot position wherein only the auxiliary outlet 23 is supplied with gas, and a third on position wherein both the main outlet 22 and the auxiliary 23 are supplied with gas. ln its third position the selector ,valve also feeds gas to a control passageway which includes the solenoid valve 64, the pressure stabilizing mechanism 65, and the control chamber 3d at the underside of diaphragm operator 3i?. The flow of gas through the control passageway causes operator 3d to oscillate valve element 28 'so as to produce a closely regulated gas pressure at the Vthe fuel gas supply unit llt) is shown as having a major body member 12, a lower cap-like closure 14, and two upper closure members 16 and 18. Member 12 is conl figured to provide a gas inlet 2t), a main gas outlet 22,

and a main burner passageway 2d. As best shown in FIG. 2, the main burner passageway is provided with a port 26 which is controlled by a main valve element 28, said element being connected with the diaphragm operator 3@ by means of the stem 32. Three equi-distant arms 34 may be provided in member 12 for guiding the Valve element during its up-and-down movement.

It will be seen that the upper face of diaphragm operator 30 is exposed to the main pressure downstream of port 26 so that increasing downstream pressure tends to close the main valve element. The underface of diaphragm operator 3@ is exposed to the control chamber 36 which during operation of the unit has a stabilized control pressure supplied theretoy for opposing the main downstream pressure; thus the diaphragm operator tends to open the main valve element in response to decreasing downstream pressure and close the valve element in response to increasing downstream pressure. The intended result is. a very closely regulated pressurel at the outlet 22 without significant pressure losses.

The aforementioned control pressure for chamber 3d is supplied through a control pasageway which initiates as a drilled duct 3S in member 12. Gas ow into duct 3S is controlled by the selector valve 25 which in the illustrated arrangement comprises a hollow plug valve element l0 disposed in a frusto-conical cavity 42. The hollow interior of the plug valve defines a lower central chamber 44, an upper auxiliary discharge chamber 46, and a valve seat 4S therebetween. As best seen in FIG. 3, chamber i6 is provided with a port 5t) which, when the valve element is in its illustrated position, communicates with the drilled duct 33. Thus there is provided a path for the flow of control gas from central chamber 44 through auxiliary discharge chamber 46, port S0 and drilled duct Hollow valve element 4t) is provided with a non-circular opening at its extreme upper end which mates with the non-circular portion of a stem 29vcarried by-manual knob element 27. By this arrangement the knob element 27 and plug element l0 are movable as a unit'in a rota- 3 tional sense, while the knob element is movable axially relative to the plug element.

Retention of the plug element in cavity 42 is accomplished by a fixed cap member 31 and compression spring 33. The upwardly projecting portion of the cap member is generally circular and tits within the circular portion 35 of the knob element 27. The general contour of the circular portion of the xed cap member is designated by numeral 37 in FIG. 1 however a portion of the cap is preferably struck out at 39 so as underlie the lower edge of the knob element and thus prevent depression of the knob element except when the radial extension 43 of the element registers with the struck out portion 39. This registry is obtained only when the pilot marking on the knob element is aligned with the fixed reference arrow 49. When the knob is in the pilot position it can therefore be manually depressed to cause stem 29 to strike portion 69 of the safety valve 67. Portion 69 is disposed within chamber 44 in alignment with seat 48 so that when the electric portion 51 of the safety valve is deenergized portion 69 is automatically moved against seat 43 to interrupt flow from chamber 44 into chamber 46. The safety valve may be varied as to general construction, but one suitable construction is shown in FIG. 3 of US. Patent 2,645,238. As under conventional practice, the valve receives its electric current from thermocouples located adjacent the pilot burner.

The general arrangement of selector valve 25 and safety valve 67 permits the safety valve to normally admit gas to chamber 46 when the pilot is heating the thermocouples. Upon extinguishment of the pilot burner the safety valve portion 69 closes against seat 4S until reopened by manual depression of knob 27. With valve portion 69 in the open position chamber 46 supplies gas to a port 53 which discharges to a peripheral groove 41 formed in the outer surface of the plug valve element. The groove is of such length and location that it registers with an auxiliary passageway S when the selector valve is in either the on or pilot positions. Thus gas can be supplied to pilot outlet 23 when the selector valve is in either of these two positions. Gas can be supplied to control passage duct 38 only when the selector valve is in the on position.

The control passage includes in addition to duct 38 a vertically drilled passage 52 in member 12, and a communicating L-shaped passage section 54 formed in the lower face of closure member 16. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, passage section 54 discharges to a cylindrical chamber 56 which is connected with another chamber 58 by means of a short port-forming passage 60. The short passage provides a horizontal axis port which is opened and closed by the plunger type armature 62 of the solenoid valve 64. Preferably the armature is arranged for horizontal movement as shown in the drawings so that the solenoid is disposed in a prone position whereby to minimize the vertical height of the complete gas supply unit.

The various chambers 54, 56 and 58 are disposed in an upstanding portion 66 of closure member 16 so that the various chambers are disposed alongside the solenoid portion of the valve rather than beneath the solenoid portion. With this arrangement there is very little intervening space between the solenoid operator portion and the main body member 12. The total vertical dimension of the unit is therefore reduced, as compared for example with the arrangement of the aforementioned Patent 2,980,133 wherein the solenoid unit 25 is disposed in an upright position above the port which it controls.

Preferably armature 62 of the solenoid valve is disposed within a closed guide tube 68 which has a radial flange 70 arranged in sealed gas-tight engagement with the upstanding portion 66 of the closure member 12. As shown in the drawing the sealing action is attained by an annular clamping plate 72 which is held on the upstanding portion 66 by suitable screws 74. The use of a closed l armature guide tube as shown in the drawings is advantageous in that it completely isolates the electric coil portion 76 from the gas in the various passages S4 through 5S, thus precluding possibility of electric spark ignition of the gas.

The electric coil portion of the solenoid may be of conventional construction. Preferably, however, the coil windings are encased in a molded covering which is disposed within a U-shaped magnetic frame 78 as generally disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,036,246. The coil is supported partially by the guide tube 65 and partially by a flange 80 which is struck from frame 78 and held by aY securement screw S2. The spade-type terminals 84 for the solenoid are preferably extended laterally from the solenoid to thus minimize the total vertical dimension of the gas supply unit and solenoid valve assembly. The terminals are in practice connected with any convenient control device, as for example a room thermostat when the gas supply unit is utilized in domestic heating.

From the description thus far it will be seen that the flow of control gas to chamber 36 may be interrupted either by rotation of plug valve element 40 or de-energization of electric coil 76. Assuming, however, that the plug valve is in its illustrated position and the coil 76 is energized, the control gas will ow into chamber 5S, and thence into a cavity v86 formed in the upper face of main body member 12. The cavity is shown in dotted lines in FIG. l, and is suitably configured so as to be isolated from the main gas passage 24 and other passages to be described hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 2, cavity 86 communicates with a port 38 and a second cavity 90 formed in member 16. A diaphragm 92, compression spring 94 and adjustable spring seat 96 are suitably arranged above valve element 9S so that any tendency'of the gas pressure in cavity 90 to decrease causes diaphragm 92 to open the valve element. A pressure sensing passage 100 is drilled from cavity into outlet 22 so that main outlet pressure is applied to diaphragm 92 in opposition to spring 94. The arrangement of parts thus produces a substantially stabilized control pressure in cavity 90. In order to conduct the stabilized control gas from cavity 90 to control chamber 36 there is provided a passage system which includes a vertical passage 102 and a short laterally directed passage (not shown) at its lower end. The arrangement is generally similar to that shown at 35D and 41m aforementioned Patent 2,980,133.

In operation of the gas supply unit, the selector valve 25 may be rotated to any one of three positions, namely oli on, or pilot Assuming the selector valve is in its off position (rotated clockwise ninety degrees from FIG. l), port 50 is sealed from passage 38 and there is no gas llow to the underside of operator 30. Valve element 28 is thus closed. As additional insurance the main ports 45 and 47 of the selector valve are at this time in registry with the frusto-conical surface of cavity 42 so that gas is prevented from reaching valve element 28.

Assuming that manual element 28 is then rotated tothe pilot .position and subsequently depressed, stem 29 is caused to move the How-interrupting portionl 69 of the safety valve away from seat '48 'so that gas can flow into chamber 46 and thence into pilot burner outlet 23 for permitting the pilot burner to be lit in the conventional manner. After sutiicient heating of the thermocouples the electro-magnetic portion of the safety valve 67 is able to hold the interrupting portion 69 in its FIG. 2 position wherein `gas is continued to be supplied to the pilot burner.

After the manual pressure on element 27 is released the element can be rotated to the illustrated on position wherein ports 4S and 47 feed gas to the main passageway 24, and the por-t 50 feeds gas to the control passageway leading to the underside of diaphragm 30, the arrangement being such as to produce a regulated gas ow through outlet 22 (when permitted by solenoid valve 64). It will be noted that with the selector valve in the on position the 5 pilot burner outlet 23 is continually fed with gas via the groove 41. The main valve element Z8 is of course automatically closed whenever solenoid valve 64 is closed.

As previously noted, one object of this invention is to provide a fuel gas supply unit having a cluster of control components arranged in an especially com-pact pattern. In the illustrated arrangement compactness is achieved partly by disposing the safety valve 6'7 within the central charnber 44 of the plug valve 40. The illustrated vertical disposition ofthe safety valve is further advantageous in that 1t permits the therrnocouple wiring to protrude downwardly from the gas supply unit rather than laterally from the supply unit side surface as in the arrangement of Patent 2,980,133. This disposition of parts is of some importance because the thermocouple wiring is lrelatively stit and any considerable protrusion thereof laterally may in some cases constitute .an obstruction `to the furnace paneling.

Further arrangements for compact-ness are provided by the prone disposition of the solenoid valve 6d wherein the chamber-rforniing means 66 is located laterally o-f the electrical coil portion rather than therebel-ow as in Patent 2,980,133. The location of the chamber means port as a horizontal axis port does away with the intervening vertical space which would otherwise be necessary to accommodate the port and associated passages.

A further .advantageous feature of the illustrated gas supply unit is the construction of the selector valve element dit whereby the gas from inlet v2G' can have a straight-V through ow to the main burner passage 24. Such straightthrough flow is of material benefit in minimizing pressure drop .occurring across the supply unit. Convention ally the supply gas has -a very low pressure on the order of less than one psi., so that any substantial pressure drop across the supply unit cannot be tolerated. In the illustrated arrangement the straightthrough iiow climacteris-tic is achieved while at the same time achieving a satisfactory l. In a regulated fuel gas supply unit havin-g an inlet, ay

main burner passageway connected with the inlet and provided with a port therein, a pilot burner passageway connected with theinlct, a main valve element controlling flow through the rnain burner por-t, a valve element operator responsive to increasing pressure downstream of the port for closingt-he main valve element, and a control passageway connected with the inlet for applying a stabilized control pressure to the operator to cause same to open the main valve element in response to decreasing downstream pressure: the improvement comprisingv a selector valve interposed between the inlet and each of said passageways for movement between a iirst position wherein none of the .passageways are opened to the inlet, a second position wherein only the pilot burner passageway is opened to the inlet, and a third positionwhereineach passageway is opened to the inlet; said selector valve comprising a hollow rotaryplug valve defining a central chamber, an auxiliary discharge chamber, and a seat therebetween; the combinationV further comprising a Isarety valve operated by extinguishment of the pilot burner ilame to close against the seat whereby to interrupt iiowdrom the central chamber to the auxiliary discharge chamber; the plug valve central chamber being ported to provide straight-through o-w from the inlet to the main burner passageway; and the auxiliary discharge chamber being ported to direct gas into the pilot burner passageway and control passageway when the safety valve is in its non-interrupting position and the selector valve is in its third position.

2. In a fuel gas supply unit having an inlet, a main burner passageway, and a pilot burner passageway: the improvement comprising a rotary selector valve interposed between the inlet and eac-h of said passageways for movement between a tirst position wherein none ofthe passage ways are opened to the inlet, a second position wherein only the pilot burner passageway is open to the inlet, and a third position wherein each passageway is opened to the inlet; said selector valve comprising a hollow Valve element defining a central chamber, an auxiliary discharge chamber and a seat therebetween; a safety valve aligned with the selector valve and operated by ex-tinguishmen-t of the pilot burner flame to close yagainst the seat whereby to interrupt flow from the central chamber to the auxiliary discharge chamber; the valve element central chamber being port-ed t-o provide straight-through flow from the inlet to the main burner passageway; and the auxiliary discharge chamber being ported to direct gas into the pilot burner passageway when the safety valve is in its noninterrupting position `and the selector valve is in its second or third position.

3. In a fuel gas supply unit having an inlet, a main burner passageway, and a pilot burner passageway: the improvement comprising a selector valve interposed between the inlet and each of said passageways for movement between a iirst position wherein none of the passageways are opened to the inlet, a second position wherein only the pilot burner passageway is openedto the inlet and a third position wherein each passageway is opened to the K inlet; 'said selector valve comprising a hollow notary plug valve coniigured to define a central chamber, an auxiliary dischange chamber, and a seat therebetween; a safety valve operatedV by extinguishrnent of the pilot burner darne to close against the seat whereby to interrupt tlow from the -central chamber to the auxiliary discharge chamber; said `safetyr valve comprising an electromagnetic operator portion occupying one part of the central chamber, and a flowinterrupting portion occupying another part of the central chamber', whereby to provide a selector valve-safety valve assembly of lesser overall length than the individual valves; Y

the plug valve central chamber being ported to provide straight-through dow from the inlet to the main burner passageway; and the auxiliary discharge chamber being ported to direct .gas into the pilot burner passageway when the safety valve is in its non-interrupting position and the selector valve is in its second or third positions.

4. In a regulated fuel gas supply unit having an inlet and an outlet horizontally aligned therewith, a pilot burner passageway connected with the inlet, a main burner passageway extending between the inlet and outlet and pro vided with a main port therein, a main Valve elementdisposed above the port for controlling liiow therethrough, a diaphragm operator arranged below the main port and responsive to increasing pressure downstream of saidport for closing the main valve element, and -a control passageway for directing a stabilized control pressure to the underside -of the diaphragm operator for thereby causing same -to open the main valve element in response to decreasing downstream pressure: the improvement comprising a ver tically disposed selector valve interposed between the in* let and'each of said passageways for movement between a yfirst position wherein none of the passageways are opened to the inlet, a second position wherein only the pilot burner passageway is opened to the inlet, and a third position wherein each passageway is opened to the inlet; `said selector valve comprising a hollow rotary plug valve andthe auxiliary discharge chamber being ported to direct gas into the pilot burner passageway and control passageway when the safety valveis in its open position and the selector valve is in its third position;l a solenoid valve disposed atop the gas supply unit and including a chamberforming means which defines a second port arranged as part of the aforementioned control passageway, a horizontally disposed .armature guide 'tube secured to the chamber-forming means in gas-tight relation, an electric coil surrounding the guide tube so that its windings areV isolated from the gas within the chamber-forming means, and `an armature slidably disposed within the horizontal guide tube for movement toward and away from the second port;

'References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,297,854 10/42 Alfery 137-66 XR .2,952,272 9/60 Hansen 137-495 XR 2,980,133 4/61 Cooper 137-495 3,036,246 5/62 Valleau 317-158 3,064,900 11/62 Ages 236-92 XR LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A REGULATED FUEL GAS SUPPLY UNIT HAVING AN INLET, A MAIN BURNER PASSAGEWAY CONNECTED WITH THE INLET AND PROVIDED WITH A PORT THEREIN, A PILOT BURNER PASSAGEWAY CONNECTED WITH THE INLET, A MAIN VALVE ELEMENT CONTROLLING FLOW THROUGH THE MAIN BURNER PORT, A VALVE ELEMENT OPERATOR RESPONSIVE TO INCREASING PRESSURE DOWNSTREAM OF THE PORT FOR CLOSING THE MAIN VALVE ELEMENT, AND A CONTROL PASSAGEWAY CONNECTED WITH THE INLET FOR APPLYING A STABILIZED CONTROL PRESSURE TO THE OPERATOR TO CAUSE SAME TO OPEN THE MAIN VALVE ELEMENT IN RESPONSE TO DECREASING DOWNSTREAM PRESSURE: THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A SELECTOR VALVE INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE INLET AND EACH OF SAID PASSAGEWAYS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE FIRST POSITION WHEREIN NONE TO THE PASSAGEWAYS ARE OPENED TO THE INLET, A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN ONLY THE PILOT BURNER PASSAGEWAY IS OPENED TO THE INLET, AND A THIRD POSITION WHEREIN EACH PASSAGEWAY IS OPENED TO THE INLET; SAID SELECTOR VALVE COMPRISING A HOLLOW ROTARY PLUG VALVE DEFINING A CENTRAL CHAMBER, AN AUXILIARY DISCHARGE CHAMBER, AND A SEAT THEREBETWEEN; THE COMBINATION FURTHER COMPRISING A SAFETY VALVE OPERATED BY EXTINGUISHMENT OF THE PILOT BURNER FLAME TO CLOSE AGAINST THE SEAT WHEREBY TO INTERRUPT FLOW FROM THE CENTRAL CHAMBER TO THE AUXILIARY DISCHARGE CHAMBER; THE PLUG VALVE CENTRAL CHAMBER BEING PORTED TO PROVIDE STRAIGHT-THROUGH FLOW FROM THE INLET TO THE MAIN BURNER PASSAGEWAY; AND THE AUXILIARY DISCHARGE CHAMBER BEING PORTED TO DIRECT GAS INTO THE PILOT BURNER PASSAGEWAY AND CONTROL PASSAGEWAY WHEN THE SAFETY VALVE IS IN ITS NON-INTERRUPTING POSITION AND THE SELECTOR VALVE IS IN ITS THIRD POSITION. 